A program introduced by the Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley Conservation Authorities to help people offset their carbon footprint has raised almost six thousand dollars in donations over the last two years.
ABCA Stewardship, Land and Education Manager Kate Monk, explains the Footprint to Forests program is a simple way for people to calculate their carbon footprint, determine how many trees it would take to offset that footprint, and then donate to either conservation authorities to purchase those trees and have them planted.
The web site is www.footprintstoforests.com, and it allows people to estimate their vehicle travel and air travel, and the approximate size of their home. From there, they can calculate the footprint and how many trees it would take to off set it, and then make a donation to purchase those trees.
Monk adds the trees are trees that would not otherwise be planted, and they document where the trees are planted so the program is completely accountable. She adds so far the survival rate for their trees has been 100 per cent.
Monk adds the web site is also a valuable tool when it comes to buying a home or a vehicle, because it allows a person to put in different sizes of homes or vehicles and get an idea of what kind of a footprint that creates. The web site is free to use.
